Fabric materials are known from the prior art, in which transparent warp threads are woven in and arranged in parallel, resulting in a three-dimensional lighting effect that is generated when visible light shines through this fabric. Moreover, the 3D lighting effects may be perceived differently, depending on the position of a viewer relative to the fabric. The 3D lighting effects are generated on the basis of the transparent warp threads acting as rod lenses that correspondingly refract the light passing through.
Displays dependent on the angle of viewing can also be created by what is referred to as parallax barrier and lenticular screen techniques. Arranging parallax barriers or lens elements in a certain way allows a viewer to perceive different parts of (image) structures located behind the barriers or lenses, depending on the viewing angle. For example, with the lenticular screen technique a three-dimensional depth effect can be imparted to two-dimensional printed products or the appearance of motion effects can be created.
In contrast to this, the prior art does not yet reveal that 3D lighting effects are used for special lighting effects in vehicle interiors. The fabrics described above are utilized primarily as design elements in architecture. These fabrics appear to be less suitable for use in lighting systems for vehicle interiors. The reason for this, among other things, is that such fabrics generally are not stabilized and the transparent warp threads shift easily when touched, which could result in losing the lighting effect. Also, such fabrics cannot be coated, since they are not 3D-deformable. Even the slightest distortions could negatively impact the lighting effect. Furthermore, demands specifically relating to vehicles, such as in the “fingernail test” and the “sun lotion test” are not met by such fabrics. Moreover, generating the 3D lighting effect using flat fabrics requires a relatively large installation space.